Car-coupling



(No Model.) 2 sheets-'sheen 1'.

J. WQBIDDLE.- -GAR GOUPLING;

No. 549,955. Patented N0v..191895.

R j; -l

(N0 Model.)

J.,w.. RIDDLB.

CAR GOU-PLING.

l Patented Nov. 19, 1'895.,

l,UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES NV. RIDDLE, OF PRINCETON, ILLINOIS.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 549,935, datedNovember 19, 1895.

Application ledrOctober 24, 1894. Serial No. 526,813. (No model.)

To. all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, J AMES W. RIDDLE, a citizen-of the United States,residing at Princeton, in the county of Bureau and State of Illinois,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Couplings; andI do de- Clare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of referencemarked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to car-couplers. Its object is to provide a deviceof this character which shall be entirely automatic in its action.

The invention consists of a draw-bar having an upwardly-projectingtonguel or hook, and a link having a transverse bar at one end forengaging the hook of the draw bar and adapted to support the link in anupright position, so that the concussion, as the cars to be coupled cometogether, will throw the link forward and over the corresponding hookupon the draw-bar of the other car.

It consists, further, of the peculiar form of the link, and of agravity-latch for preventing the accidental disengagement of the link,and of such'other parts and arrangement of parts as are hereinafterdescribed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a plan view of a pair ofdraw-bars, showing my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinalsection of the same on the line 2 2 of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a plan view ofthe link. Fig. 4 is a plan section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 isa view similar to Fig. 1, showinga modiiied form of construction. Fig. 6is a vertical longitudinal section on the line 6 6 of Fig; 5. Fig. 7 isan end elevation of the draw-bar, the link being in section. Fig. 8 is aplan view of a modified form of link.

At l 2 are shown a Kpair of draw-bars exactly alike in every particularand in the relative position which the draw-bars of adjacent cars in atrain occupy. The lower portion of the draw-bar extends forwardly, andits upper surface is i'lat, forming a level table, at the sides of whichare Vvertical flanges 5 6, which may, as shown, taper downwardlytouncoupling the cars.

ward the outer end of the bar. Projecting upwardly and centrally fromthe forward end of this table is a tongue or hook 3 4, which, as shown,is a separate piece of metal set into a suitable recess in the draw-barand secured by a transverse bolt 3 4, though it is obvious that thetongue and draw-bar may be cast integrally. The inner or rearward faceof the tongue 3 4 is inclined backwardly and upwardly and is preferablyslightly concave, as shown.

The link X is of the ordinary form, except that one of its ends is inthe form of a straight transverse bar Y, whose ends y y project beyondthe sides of the link. The length of the bar Y is such that it isadapted to iitloosely between the iianges 5 5 or 6 6, thereby preventingmaterial lateral play of the link. The bar Y being straight, the link isadapted to swing vertically upon it as it rests upon the table of thedraw-bar.

At the rearward end of the table of the drawbar a transverse abutment 78 rises vertically and is such distance back of the tongue 3 4 thatample space is provided for the entry of the link and to provide for thenecessary longitudinal play of the link essential to the proper handlingof the train. The rearward side of the abutment 7 8 and the top of thatportion of the draw-bar lying behind it are adapted to the beamordinarily lying across the end of the car.

The abutment 7 8 is vertically aperturedor slotted, and within this slotis pivoted a gravity-latch 9 l0, adapted normally to hang over the spacebetween the abutment and the tongue 3 4, its end being at such altitudeas to clear the link. An arm l1 l2 extends upwardly from the latch 9 lOfor convenience in withdrawing the latch for the purpose of Thecounterweight of the latch is in the form of a rearwardly-extending arm9a l0, housed within a suitable aperture within the body of the draw-barand being curved downwardly, so as to strike the floor of this apertureand thus limit the forward movement of the latch. The lower end of thelatch 9 l() is beveled backwardly, so that the longitudinal play of thelink does not tend t0 open or throw back the latch. l

The bar Y, forming one end of the link, is provided with a tail piece orstem-Z, project- IOO . ment with the hook or tongue.

in g backwardly and longitudinally with reiference to the body of thelink and along its median line. The outer end of this stem is curved sothat as the link lies in the position it assumes in service this stemprojects downwardly, a suitable aperture being provided in the draw-barto accommodate it.

\Vhen the link X is in its upright position, as indicated by dottedlines, Fig. 2, the outer end of the stem Z projects beyond the end ofthe draw-bar, and I prefer to provide it with a lateral proj cction@which shall extend above the lower line of the draw-bar, so that as thecars come together this projection will be struck by the draw-bar of theother car, thereby throwing the link down.

The aperture provided for the stem Z is of such width as to admit ofvery slight lateral play of the stem, thereby guiding the link andinsuring its engagement with the hook or tongue of the approaching car.The inner end of the aperture within which the stem Z is located iscurved to correspond with the curvature of the stem, so that should thelink be accidentally thrown down before the cars come together thecontact of the approaching draw-bar with the outer end of rthe link willforce the stem Z against this curved wall, which will act as a ca-m andraise the outer end of the link so as to facilitate its engage- 'lherearward end of the arm 9 l0 is in Y form, so as to straddle thisaperture. The outer or forward `face of the tongue 3 4E is inclinedbackwardly, so that the link, if down as the ears come together, willslide up this inclined face, which may start from a point below thesurface of the table, as shown in the drawings.

rlhe space between the tongue 3 4 and the abutment 7 8 being greaterthan the thickness of the link, the latter, when in its upright positionand resting against the tongue, is inclined slightlybackward, restingagainst the top of the abutment. Then in this position, however, thelink is so evenly balanced that a very slight concussion will throw itdown, and in practice it will not be necssary, ordinarily, to use theextension .a at the end of the stem Z.

The stem ll l2 of the latch 9 l() is provided with a radial iian ge lll2 immediately above the abutment 7 S,thereby preventing dirt fromfalling into the aperture within which the latch is piveted.

The stem Z may, if desired, be wholly dispensed with, giving the linkthe form shown in Fig. S, and in that event the aperture in the draw-barprovided for this stem becomes unnecessary, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6.

It will be seen that in practice itwill be whollyunnecessary for thebrakeman te inanipulate the coupling as the ears come together. By beingsure that there is a link in one of the draw-bars only, and especiallyby placing the link in its upright position, he may be certain that thecoupling will be efected by the concussion as the cars come together.

The link is of such form that a car provid ed with my coupling isadapted to be coupled up with cars provided with the prevailin g styleof link-couplin gs without change or add itional appliances.

I claim as my inventionl. In a car coupler, the combination with adraw-bar having a ilat upper iace, a transverse abutment at the rear ofthe face, a hook or tongue projecting upwardly from such face in advanceof and spaced apart from the transverse abutment, and an abutment risingat each side of such face between the transverse abutment and the hook,of an oblong link having one of its ends prolonged beyond its sides andadapted to it between the side abutments of the draw-bar, the whole being so constructed and arranged that the link will stand upon itsprolonged end behind the hook, and be thrown forward by the impact ofthe cars, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a car coupling the ctnnbination with a draw bar having its uppersurface of its outer end flat and provided with an upwardly projectingtongue or hook and a vertical aperture back of the hook, with an oblonglink having ene of its ends in the form olf a straight bar, and a curvedguide stem projecting from such bar adapted to rest and turn upon theupper surface of the draw-bar and adapted to slide within the apertureof the draw-bar.

In a car coupling the combination with a draw bar, having the uppersurface oi its outer end il at a-nd flanked by vertical ilan ges, and atongue or hook projectin upwardly from this iiattencd surface, of anabutment back of and spaced apart from the hook, the abutment anddraw-bar being vertically apertured, and an oblong link having one ofits ends inthe form oi' a straight bar adapted to enter the spacebetween. the hook and the abutment and having a curved guide stemprojecting from such bar and adapted to slide in the aperture of thedraw bar and abutment, whereby the link may stand loosely upon thedraw-bar and fall forwardly, turning upon its straight end and guided byits stem.

fi. In a car coupling the combination with a draw bar having an upwardlyprojecting tongue er hook and an aperture behind the hook having itsrearward wall backwardly and downwardly inclined, of a link for engagingthe tongue and adapted to eo-operate with another similar draw -bar andhavin g a curved stem adapted to the aperture whereby pressure upon theouter end of the link causes it to be tilted upwardly. y

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES NV. RIDDL'E. iVitnesses:

E. E. BARTHoLoMEw, Louis K. GILLsoN.

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